Guide to Shopify Newsletter Subscription Process for Store Owners

Understanding Shopify’s Newsletter Subscription Process

In the world of e-commerce, building a strong email list is crucial for marketing success. Shopify, one of the leading e-commerce platforms, provides various ways to collect customer information and obtain marketing consent. However, the process of adding customers to the “Accepts Marketing” section in Shopify’s admin panel can sometimes be confusing for store owners. This guide will walk you through the process and clarify some common misconceptions.

The Magic of the “Customer” Form

Many Shopify store owners wonder if simply adding a newsletter form to their site automatically adds subscribers to the “Accepts Marketing” section. The good news is that it does, but there are some important details to understand.

How It Works

When you use the standard Shopify newsletter form, which typically looks like this:

<form action="/contact#contact_form" method="post" accept-charset="UTF-8" class="contact-form">
  <input type="hidden" name="form_type" value="customer">
  <input type="email" name="contact[email]" placeholder="Your email">
  <button type="submit">Subscribe</button>
</form>

Shopify automatically sets the “Accepts Marketing” flag for the customer when they submit this form. You don’t need to add an additional hidden field for accepts_marketing.

Important Form Details

There are a few key points to remember when setting up your newsletter form:

1. Use form_type value of “customer”
2. Use contact[email] for the email input name, not customer[email]
3. The form action should be /contact#contact_form

Customizing Your Newsletter Form

While the basic form works well, you might want to collect additional information from your subscribers. Shopify allows you to add extra fields to your newsletter form, which can be saved to the customer record.

Adding Custom Fields

You can include fields like first name and last name by adding them to your form:

<input type="text" name="contact[first_name]" placeholder="Enter your first name">
<input type="text" name="contact[last_name]" placeholder="Enter your last name">

These fields will be saved to the customer record when the form is submitted.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Despite the seemingly straightforward process, some users encounter issues when implementing newsletter forms. Here are some common problems and their solutions.

Form Not Working in Specific Themes

If you’re using a theme that doesn’t use sections, it shouldn’t affect the functionality of the newsletter form. The form submission is handled server-side, independent of the theme structure.

Existing Customers and Form Submission

When an existing customer submits the newsletter form, Shopify’s behavior is to reload the page with the parameters in the URL. No form errors are supplied in this case, which can be confusing for users.

Adding Phone Numbers

While not part of the standard newsletter form, you can add a phone number field to your customer forms. Use the same naming convention:

<input type="tel" name="contact[phone]" placeholder="Enter your phone number">

Best Practices for Newsletter Sign-ups

To make the most of your newsletter sign-up process, consider implementing these best practices.

Clear Consent Messaging

Always provide clear information about what subscribers can expect from your newsletter. This not only helps with legal compliance but also sets the right expectations for your customers.

Double Opt-in

Consider implementing a double opt-in process. While Shopify doesn’t provide this out of the box, you can use third-party email marketing apps that integrate with Shopify to set this up.

Incentivize Sign-ups

Offer an incentive for signing up, such as a discount code or exclusive content. This can significantly increase your subscription rate.

Leveraging Your “Accepts Marketing” List

Once customers are added to your “Accepts Marketing” list, you have a powerful tool for engagement and sales.

Segmentation

Use Shopify’s customer segmentation features to create targeted marketing campaigns based on customer data.

Automated Emails

Set up automated email flows for welcome series, abandoned carts, and post-purchase follow-ups.

Regular Newsletters

Keep your subscribers engaged with regular, valuable content that aligns with their interests and your brand.

By understanding how Shopify handles newsletter sign-ups and leveraging the “Accepts Marketing” feature effectively, you can build a robust email marketing strategy that drives engagement and sales for your e-commerce store.